


Coming Home

by oneshotsbygabby



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asgardian Reader (Marvel), Bruce is the real love interest here, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Homelessness, Misunderstandings, Not Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Compliant, Not Thor: The Dark World Compliant, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Protective Loki (Marvel), Slow Burn, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, the Thor and Loki are family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-09-26 02:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17133008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneshotsbygabby/pseuds/oneshotsbygabby
Summary: After having a fight with your father, Odin, you run to Earth and hit hard times. After becoming homeless, Thor finds you.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this imagine: [Imagine your big brother, Thor, finds you sleeping on the streets, homeless, after you went missing a long time ago](https://thranduilsperkybutt.tumblr.com/post/134003374928/gif-source-thor-imagine-your-big-brother-thor).
> 
> While this story is tagged Thor/Reader and Thor/Loki/Reader, just be aware that Thor & Loki are the reader's brothers. The real romantic pairing is Bruce Banner/Reader.

The fight you had with your father had been epic.

It had been a big blowout, the two of you yelling at one another, and if anyone knew what was good for them, they stayed the hell away from the room while you and Odin had practically screamed at each other.

You loved Earth. You had been there a couple of times, without your father's knowledge of course, because even though you were a princess of Asgard, you just didn't feel like you fit in there. There were both too many and not enough expectations. And even though you were a daughter of Odin, you knew you'd never measure up to the example that Thor led.

Heimdall had always helped you get there, because the two of you were friends. He was all-seeing, but he got lonely pretty easily, and you would go and sit with him sometimes. You didn't have to say anything during that time; just sitting with him was enough. It helped him feel a lot less lonely.

When your father found out you had been going to Earth, he lost it. He was so angry at you. Mostly, he said, because of the secrecy.

You would've never been able to be upfront about it to him, though. You knew that even then. And while Thor also seemed to love Earth -- and for fuck's sake, the woman he loved was on that damn planet -- nobody gave him grief about it. But they all attacked you.

Loki was the only one who knew that you went to Earth on occasion, and you knew that he wouldn't rat you out. Loki was a lot of things, and not a lot of people would call _trustworthy_ one of them, but he kept your secrets. He had never gave up any of your secrets, and you loved him like a brother, even when it came out that he wasn't related to you by blood. Through all of the horrible things Loki'd done, by and large, he was still your big brother.

So when your father yelled at you, _If you like Midguard so much, you should just stay there_ , and you said to him, _Maybe I will_ , you just disappeared. Went to Heimdall and had him transport you to Earth and you started your new life.

There was a lot about Earth you loved. There was also a lot you hated. There were some truly vicious and hateful people that occupied the planet, and it made you angry. Even as a princess on Asgard, you weren't known for your patience. You had taken after Thor that way. You both had hot tempers and were quick to jump into a fight.

You had friends, and it had been years since you left Asgard. But as easily as you made friends, you also lost them, too. You had just recently had a falling out with a bunch of people, and you didn't want to admit to anyone how alone you were, or that you had nowhere else to go. And you were hitting rock bottom.

You knew Odin didn't care; he didn't care when he told you to get out, and he most likely didn't care now that he was proven right. For the first time in a long time, you had nowhere to go and you didn't fit in at all. Part of you wondered if Heimdall would even let anyone know how desolate things had gotten for you.

That particular night it was raining. Oh, how you hated the rainstorms. You hated the sound of thunder, because it mostly reminded you of Thor. And it had been several years since you'd been home, back to Asgard, but it was your brothers that you missed the most. You missed Thor and the way that he showed he loved you, with his kind words and overprotective brotherly gestures, and you missed the easy way that you and Loki used to make mischief together.

You had been half-asleep, in and out of consciousness all night because you hated thunderstorms and was having a hard time staying asleep. From what you knew, you were in a place called New York, and it was later in the year, so it was quite cold. You had gotten a few clothing donations from a shelter that couldn't take you in, and even though you knew you hit rock bottom, you would just have to be self-sufficient.

When you heard the loud crack, part of you wanted to run and hide, because to any human's ears, it was just part of the storm. But you knew better. You knew the sound of family when you heard it.

Part of you wanted to go and hide, but in the end you didn't, because you didn't have that much energy. It'd been a couple of days since your last meal, and you just didn't have it in you. You didn't want your brother to see you like this, but at the same time, you just didn't have it in you to run and hide like you wanted to.

You were huddled under an overpass, your feet flat on the ground and your knees up by your chest, your head rested on them. You were huddling up as close as you could because of the cold, and you saw his boots before you saw the rest of him. Thor had always had this presence about him, though, so you knew it was your brother, without any doubt at all.

"Y/N?" he asked gruffly. "Sister, is that you?"

You were shivering, and even though you had never gotten sick before, it wouldn't surprise you if it had happened now anyway. You lifted your head, slowly, so that your eyes connected with his.

You didn't say anything; you weren't sure what could be said during this circumstance, but he took your silence. He lifted you easily, your arms going around his neck as he carried you bridal-style.

"We're close to Avengers Tower," he said softly, even though you had yet to speak to him. "Hold on tight."

You knew who the Avengers were, and you also knew that your brother was part of the team of superheroes, but you avoided them as much as possible because you didn't want Thor to find you. In an instant, you were at the Tower, and Thor was depositing you on the soft couch in a big room.

"This is what Anthony calls the 'common room,'" Thor was saying to you. Falling to his knees, he grabbed your chin very gently, so he could look at your face, "Y/N, we all thought you dead."

You weren't sure what you could say to him. That there were so many nights you wished you _were_ dead? Thor wouldn't take too kindly to that. So instead, you just watched him closely.

"Sister, please speak to me," he said softly. You watched his blue eyes very closely, and saw the kindness and compassion in them. You had missed him so much.

So instead of answering, you leapt forward and enveloped Thor in a big hug. It had been years since you'd been to Asgard, and you had missed your brothers so very much. Thor hugged you back, and you heard footsteps come into the room, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that you had your brother back.

You don't know when you started crying. All you knew was that the tears had started to fall, and you couldn't stop them. When the two of you broke apart, you saw the tear stains on Thor's shirt, but that didn't seem to bother him any.

"This is Doctor Banner," he said, motioning to a guy that was standing close to the doorway. "Doctor," he said to the man, glancing at him, "this is Y/N. She's my sister."

"I didn't know you had a sister, Thor," the man -- Doctor Banner -- said. "All anyone knows about is Loki."

Thor nods, "I know. Y/N left Asgard a long time ago. We all thought her dead, but I found her on the street just moments ago. Would you please look her over?"

"Your metabolism isn't anything like us humans," Doctor Banner answered him. "I wouldn't know what to look for."

"Thor, you don't have to do this," you protested, the first words you had spoken to your brother in years. "I'm fine."

"You look sick," he observed. "And when was the last time you ate a meal?"

You tried to think. It'd been a few days, but you were completely able to sustain yourself on very little food. It was something you'd perfected since times turned bad for you.

"Okay, so I could use a little food," you admitted. "It's been two or three days since my last meal."

"Why don't I get some food started," Doctor Banner said. He came closer, stuck out his hand -- something you knew as a handshake -- and said, "It's nice to meet you, Y/N. My name is Bruce."

Bruce left the room and Thor sat down next to you on the couch. "My sister," he said, watching you intently, "why did you leave Asgard? Mother was beside herself."

"I never meant for Mother to be upset or sad," you said. "I left Asgard because Father told me to. We were both so very angry, brother. I needed space. I thought maybe someday he wouldn't be so furious, but nobody ever came looking for me."

"How long have you been living that way, Y/N?" Thor asked you. You noticed how his eyes never left yours.

"I don't know. The days kind of blended together, so I can't tell you precisely how long I was living there. I just knew that I had to get my own self out of what I got myself into, but I didn't know how."

He leaned over to give you a hug, and his arm lingered on your shoulder. It felt nice, since you couldn't even begin to pinpoint when the last time you'd been touched was.

"You're never going to go through that again. For now, you'll stay here. And we'll get this mess with Father all situated, I promise. Sister, you've come home."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor finally talks you into going home and talking to your parents.

Everything was weird at Avengers Tower. These people were friends of your brother -- well, of Thor. They seemed to really despise Loki, although you really couldn't blame them.

"I know you and Loki were close, Y/N, but after you left Asgard, he changed, and not for the better."

You had a hard time understanding why Loki would do something so underhanded, but you remembered when Loki found out he was adopted, he hadn't taken it well, so you could believe that he would do it.

Thor had returned to Asgard since you were at the Tower, but he had come back quickly. He hadn't pressured you into going back -- you really didn't want to, not yet, and he respected that -- but he wasn't off-world for very long. He wanted to return quickly to be there for you, if you needed it.

He tried to talk you into going home probably twice a week. He didn't push, but at the same time, he didn't want to stay passive about it, either. He wanted to fix whatever happened between you and Odin, but knew how stubborn the both of you were, and knew that you wouldn't go home until you were good and ready.

You met the other Avengers and you liked them. They were friendly and kind, and they didn't seem to pity you or blame you for the situation you found yourself in. When Thor was at the Tower, though, he spent the majority of his time with you.

You found Doctor Banner an enigma, however. He was so kind and gentle, but at the same time, you knew about the Other Guy, but you couldn't imagine Bruce harming anybody. The difference between the Hulk and Doctor Banner was really incredible.

"Y/N, how many times do I have to ask you to call me Bruce?" Doctor Banner was asking you that day. The two of you had a standing lunch date when he wasn't working, and the two of you would sit and eat your lunch and drink tea. Bruce liked tea; he made a bunch of different kinds for you to try. He said that tea calmed him and you could see why; you rather enjoyed your tea time with Bruce.

"I apologize," you say, watching him closely as you take a drink of today's tea. It was passion flower tea, which Bruce had told you was good for what he called anxiety and stress. They didn't use those exact words on Asgard, but when Bruce had explained to you what they meant, you understood. "My brother calls you Doctor."

"Yeah, and I've been trying to get him to quit for almost the entire time I've known him," Bruce chuckles, taking a drink of his own tea.

You loved your lunchtime with Bruce. He was soft-spoken and kind, and you hadn't met many people like Bruce Banner. He was also very sweet and generous. He often asked about how you were feeling and what he could do to make your stay more comfortable.

The longer you stay at the Tower, the closer you grow to Bruce. You know you have to go back to Asgard eventually, because you know that both you and your father were wrong, but you weren't even sure how to approach the subject. Who tells the King of Asgard that he's wrong, anyway?

"I don't want to go back," you said to Bruce a mere moment later. "Father and I had a fight. A huge screaming match and we both said things we didn't mean. Well, _I_ said things _I_ didn't mean, but who knows about Father. Maybe it's best if I just stay away."

"I think Thor's got a point, though," he answers you, taking a drink of his tea. "Think of it this way: Thor is your brother, and you hate seeing him on the outs with your parents, right? And you hated it when Loki betrayed them? I don't think anybody likes it when their family is arguing or uncomfortable with one another."

"You Avengers went through something similar, though, didn't you?" You ask. "I know neither you nor my brothers were here for that, but something tells me that you're speaking from experience."

Bruce nods. "We did go through something like that, and there aren't many of us who have parents or siblings or other family. We are family, even though we aren't blood. And the fallout from the Civil War was pretty bad. I mean, Tony and Steve _just_ started talking again, and it took a serious tragedy for that to happen."

You sigh. Taking a bite of your turkey sandwich, you chew your words over before you swallow. Then, you say, "Fine. Thor is right. I'll go back to Asgard, Bruce, but only if you think it's the right thing to do."

"I know it's not easy, Y/N," he says, nodding, "but I think it's right."

***

Thor was beside himself with glee when you went to his suite that night and told him you'd go back to Asgard to speak with your father. "This is terrific, Y/N," he said. "Father will be overjoyed."

"I doubt that very much, brother," you answer. You plop down on the couch while watching Thor intently. "We were so very angry with one another. We both said things we didn't mean -- well, _I_ did. Who knows about Father."

Thor licks his lips before saying, "Y/N, think about it this way. If you never go home, and Mother and Father pass, are you willing to accept the fact that you had a chance to fix things and you never did? I honestly think it would tear you apart."

He had a point, and you knew it. If Frigga and Odin were to die before you went home and apologized for what you did wrong, it would kill you inside, and Thor knew it, too. All in all, you were a good, compassionate person, and you loved your parents. Your family had been through a lot since you'd been gone, as you understood, but you wanted only good things for them.

"You're right," you say finally. Then you feel the smirk on your lips. "And don't expect me to ever say that again, either, brother, because this is a once in a lifetime deal."

He grins. "Very well, Y/N," he answered you. "So, are you ready? You're willing to come home and speak with them?"

Taking a deep breath, you nod and answer him, "Yes, brother. I will come and speak with them."

The travel to Asgard didn't take that long, but your nerves were going crazy. When you met Heimdall, he was, of course, waiting for you.

"Thor, I wish to speak with Y/N for a moment," he said when he let you through. Thor nods, and you face Heimdall for the first time in five years.

"I hope you don't hold it against me that I sent Thor after you," he says, and you stare at him, open-mouthed, for a moment. "By the look on your face, I'm guessing that you didn't know it was I who sent Thor after you. I could tell that you were miserable, but for a while, I knew you weren't ready to speak with him, so I said nothing. But times got bad and I got worried, Y/N, because you're still my friend."

You lean over and hug him. Heimdall has never been tactile with anyone, but as friends, this isn't the first embrace you'd shared. "Thank you, Heimdall," you reply. "I mean it. It was time."

He nods, and you go to follow Thor to the palace. Your nerves are really starting to get to you, and you can feel your stomach start to turn. But this is it -- you have to do this. And you've gotten this far, which means...you can do this. Right?

"Y/N," you hear your mother, who's in front of the palace with her handmaidens. "Is that really you?"

You rush up to hug her. As you get closer, she rushes to you as well, and the two of you embrace. "I thought you dead."

"I know, Mother, and I'm so sorry," you say. "Father and I had a terrible fight, and I was so sure he wanted me gone. I...I missed you."

She nods, "It's going to be okay now, love. Have you come to talk to Odin?"

This time, you nod, "Yeah, I did. I'd like to speak with him."

Thor leads you to the throne room, where Odin is there with some of his subjects. His jaw drops when he sees you, "Y/N?"

"Father," you say softly. You go up to him slowly, and it's at this time that Thor starts to leave the two of you alone, but you reach for him. "Please, brother," you say, just as softly. "I need you here. Moral support."

"What's that word?" he asks. "What does it mean?"

"Umm," you say, noticing that even though Thor spends time on Earth, he obviously didn't adapt as well as you did. "Sometimes people give support by just being in a situation with someone. Please stay."

He nods curtly and goes to stand in the corner of the room, so he's not too far away but he's not intruding, either. When you stand in front of Odin, your father stands and pulls you into an embrace.

"I apologize, Father," you say to him. "When we had our argument, I spoke some very harsh things. Some things I shouldn't have said. Please forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you, Y/N," Odin answers you. He lets you go and just takes a few moments to look you over. "I said some awful things, too. I also apologize."

You smile at him.

"You look emaciated," he says to you after a moment. "Am I to guess that your time on Midguard wasn't so great?"

"I still love humans, and I still love Midguard," you answer him firmly. "Some of them are really terrific. But some of them -- a lot of them, if I'm being honest -- are pretty terrible. I've been through some truly appalling things."

He nods. "Heimdall and I have come to an agreement," he states, watching you very closely. "A lot like Thor, we've decided that there's a gateway open between Asgard and Midguard. Any time you want to move from place to place, you're welcome to. Just remember this, Y/N: you always have a place here. Please don't ever leave us for good again."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor brings Loki to the Tower to see you again for the first time in five years, and he notices that there's something between you and Bruce.

"I found her."

Loki watched his brother closely as they both sat in the gardens near the Asgardian palace. Loki was still under what a human would call 'house arrest.' He was no longer imprisoned, but there had to be someone with him all the time. He often got tired of the babysitting, but he knew that he just had to appease Odin and Frigga for just a little while longer.

Loki gave Thor a tired look as he said, "Would you mind informing me, dear brother, to whom you are referring?"

"Y/N," Thor answered, and he saw Loki's eyes widen. He licked his lips, making sense of what Thor was telling him.

Finally, never taking his eyes off Thor's, he took a deep breath and said, "You mind telling me that again?"

"I found Y/N," Thor said to his brother. "I found her."

"She's been missing for over five years, brother," Loki said, his eyes still wide. "And Heimdall would never tell us where she went."

"He told _me_ ," Thor said. That's when he started relaying the story to your other brother.

" -- and then Heimdall told me where I could find her. Times had turned hard for her. She was homeless in New York, and I took her to Avengers Tower."

"And where is she now?"

"Back in Avengers Tower," Thor answered. "Father has left the portal open for her whenever she wishes to go between the realms, and she spends a lot of time at Avengers Tower. Anthony, the Captain, and I all think it's because she's gotten really close to Doctor Banner."

And you had. You spent a lot of time at Avengers Tower, and most of the time you were there, you were with Bruce. You weren't a scientist, not like Jane or Bruce or even Tony, but you sat and listened to Bruce talk about his experiments for hours. Most of the time you didn't understand what he was talking about, but his eyes always lit up whenever you asked questions, so you often took an interest in his work.

"Has she...has she asked about me?" Loki asked, not even sure if he wanted to know the answer. He had done some truly despicable things since you had been away, and everybody knew that it was mostly because you had been the only one to be able to rein Loki in.

"She has," Thor confirmed. "Back several weeks ago."

"Do not keep me in suspense, brother," Loki snapped, and he was starting to grow agitated. "What did she ask?"

Thor shrugged, "She knew a little bit about what you did during the Midguardian battle, brother. She had been living on the streets at that time, but even then, she heard things. She wanted to know where you were now and how you were doing." Thor took a deep breath. "Even when she was hurting and the one who had been through horrible things, Loki, she wanted to know how you were doing. Even now, she focuses so much on how other people are doing. I worry for her."

"I'd like to see her," Loki says, after a brief moment of silence. "Do you think you could take me to her?"

Convincing Odin of that was easier than Thor thought it would be. Thor had thought it would take a long time to get his father to agree to let Loki leave Asgard, but he agreed that it would probably help Loki's rehabilitation if he could see you again. And, as he had mentioned, Loki had been beaten by the Avengers once -- they could do it again if they needed to. But nobody thought that would happen.

You had always been Loki's favorite sibling, and he always cared about what you thought. He wanted to make you happy. Even though he had gone a little crazy when you were gone, the two of you had always clicked and he had missed you terribly. Loki got along with you so much better than he ever did Thor.

You had been sitting in the common room with the other Avengers, as Bruce and Tony were regaling a story of something they had been working on during the week. It was a Friday night, but instead of trying to talk everyone into going out to a club or bar, Tony had decided you should stay in.

It was lightly raining, and when the other Avengers heard the boom, they didn't think anything of it. You rolled your eyes; they really needed to learn the sound of your brother.

You went over to the window, and Tony said, "What are you doing, Y/N? It's just the storm."

"You are all idiots," you state bluntly, and you see Bucky laugh at that. "That was not from the storm."

"What was it then?" Tony said, and he had a smirk on his face like he was the one who was right.

"My brother," you state. "That was the noise of Thor transporting from Asgard."

"Are you sure?"

You roll your eyes, "My Gods, Tony, you are smart, I agree with that, but sometimes you can be a moron."

He was going to retort, had opened his mouth to reply, but he closed his mouth when he saw Thor and Loki walk into the room. Then he looked at you, "Okay, you win, princess." Then he looked at Thor. "What is he doing here?" he asked, venom lacing his voice.

You weren't paying attention to Tony, however. You go up to your brothers.

First, you hug Thor. Thor had always been a tactile guy, as most people on Asgard were, but he started showing you so much more affection after he'd found you living on the street. It was almost as if he thought if he didn't give you much affection you'd go missing again.

Then you stand in front of Loki. "Hello, sister," he says softly, and you watch him closely for a moment. Then you reach in and hug him.

"What are you doing here, brother?" you ask him quietly. "I thought you were on Asgard."

"Thor is babysitting me," he says, watching you. "Father said as long as Thor doesn't leave my side, I can be here. I needed to see you."

You take a deep breath. "I heard of your exploits, Loki," you say, and is that shame you see in his eyes? "I know of your whole risk/reward system," you add, because he had explained it to you in secret once, his way of making his decisions by weighing the risk and reward, "but what good could you have possibly thought would come from having a bunch of aliens invade New York?"

"I have no excuse for what I've done," he says. "But I missed you, sister. We all thought you dead."

"Thor told me," you say. Your Y/E/C eyes are watching his green ones, and you have a hand on his shoulder, almost like you don't trust that this isn't just one of his illusions. "I probably would've been able to rein you in, if I'd been there."

He chuckles, "'Tis very true, dear sister. Very true."

***

Loki ambushes you while you're in your quarters that night. Bruce had to go do a lecture in Singapore the next day, and even though he offered for you to go with him, you had declined. You weren't sure how long Odin would let Loki be away from Asgard, so you wanted to spend as much time as you could with your brothers.

"You and Doctor Banner seem pretty tight," Loki says. You notice, even though Loki spends more time on Asgard than either you or Thor, he really grasps the human language. "What's going on there?"

"I like him. He likes me. Don't fret, brother; Bruce and I haven't gone out on a date or anything. We just...we like to spend time together."

"But why?"

Loki sits down beside you on the couch and watches you closely. You sigh.

"He's kind and gentle. I know about the Hulk; I've seen him in person, and even though the Hulk has never tried to hurt me, Bruce is so different from that. He's quiet and thoughtful and brilliant -- Gods, Loki, Bruce is so smart. He could sit and talk about science and technology for hours, and I let him, because I love hearing him talk about things he's really passionate about."

"You sound as if you're in love with the man, Y/N," Loki says. His eyes are sparkling as he asks, "You sure the two of you aren't together?"

"I want to be," you answer honestly. That was something you hadn't admitted to anyone -- not Tony when he teases you and Bruce about how you are with one another, and not even Natasha when she makes comments, although you're pretty sure _she_ already knows. "I want to be with him. I love him. But he's so afraid."

Loki watches you closely.

"He's afraid to emote, brother, because of the Hulk. I wish I could let him know that I think he's wonderful -- yes, he has issues with the Other Guy, as he calls him, but Bruce is..." your voice trails off as you reorganize the thoughts in your head. "Gods, Bruce is so terrific. I want there to be more between the two of us. But if he never wants it, I'm okay with the way things are. If he never wants to be with me that way, being around him is enough."

Loki watches you carefully. He can see the pain etched on your features; he knows that if Bruce doesn't want you romantically, it'd break your heart, but he's not going to voice it. Not right now. "You deserve everything good, sister," he says finally. "Thor and I have done things that we regret -- more I than Thor, honestly -- but you, dear sister," he says, cupping your cheek, "you deserve everything in the universe."

He stays with you in your quarters as you watch television and eat popcorn, which is a food that you'd never had until a couple of weeks ago when Tony had offered it to you during a movie marathon. You guys talked and joked with one another, and for the first time in a long time, Loki feels completely at ease. That's when he makes up his mind. He's going to talk to Doctor Banner.

***

Bruce had been in Singapore for almost six hours when Loki popped in to see him. At first, it had surprised him, but then he remembered: alien technology. He was even more surprised that Thor wasn't with him.

"Where's your brother?" Bruce asked Loki as Loki made himself comfortable on the couch in the hotel suite. "Isn't he supposed to be accompanying you?"

"He's at Avengers Tower, with Y/N," Loki answered, watching Bruce closely. "I snuck off."

"And what are you doing here?"

Bruce comes over and sits down next to Loki on the couch. He watches your brother intently as Loki sighs.

"I've done a lot of wrong things since Y/N's been gone," Loki starts. He looks at Bruce, "Did you know that she's always been able to make me see reason? She's always helped me figure out what I wanted. We used to make mischief together."

"It seems to me that you're pretty good at that all by yourself," Bruce laughs. "Why do you need help?"

Loki chuckles, "I didn't _need_ the help. She always tagged along for the ride because she used to tell me, _You don't need to do this the hard way. You need someone with you_. I couldn't have gotten rid of her if I had tried."

Bruce laughs again, "Sounds like her. I mean, I've only known her for a few months, but, from the talks she and I have had, she seems to care about you quite a lot."

Loki nodded, "She does. And I her. And you must know, Doctor Banner, Y/N's hurting."

Bruce is on high alert. "What do you mean?" he asks, his eyes flashing green. Loki found that awfully interesting, but then he pushed that thought away. "Is she okay? Do the Avengers need me?"

Loki shook his head. "Nothing like that. She likes you. Doctor, Y/N likes you a lot."

"I like her, too," Bruce says. "She and I have become quite close since she's been at the Tower."

"That's the thing, Doctor," Loki says, continuing to keep his eyes on Bruce. "Y/N doesn't play with her heart. She's had several sexual relationships, but she's only had one or two romantic ones. The last man who broke her heart...well, let's just say he ended up with a bed full of scorpions."

"That's pretty harsh," Bruce commented. Loki nods.

"That may be true, but neither Thor nor I have any sympathy for anyone who breaks her heart. And like I said, Y/N has had many sexual relationships -- she doesn't play around with her heart, but she understands carnal urges." Bruce looked uncomfortable, but Loki just barreled on. "She doesn't trust many people, so if someone were to want to date her, they'd better treat her really well, or else Thor and I wouldn't be very happy. Do you understand what I mean, Doctor?"

"But I'm not dating her."

Loki cuts him off, "I know you're not. But she wants to be with you, in a way I never thought I'd see again since the last man who broke her heart. She wants you and loves you."

"I love her, too," Bruce says softly. "But she's better than me."

"'Tis not up to us to say whether or not we deserve someone else's love," Loki says, watching Bruce carefully. He stands up and watches Bruce carefully. "Just know that my sister loves you, and wants to be a part of your life. You're a lucky man, and maybe you could let her in." Loki starts walking towards the door, but then turns back. "And remember this, Doctor Banner: if you hurt Y/N in any way, if you break her heart, you'll have Thor and I to answer to."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When there's a bit of a misunderstanding between you and Bruce, you decide to return to Asgard. When Heimdall tells you to return, will you get there in time? Or will it be too late?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was in a bit of an angsty mood and this happened. It's got a happy ending, though, because I'm a sucker for a happy ending, and I probably always will be.

After Bruce got back from Singapore, things between the two of you were tense. You had no idea why, either; he had been gone for about a week, and the two of you had talked almost every day. When you saw each other in person, however, things were not normal.

You had spent a lot of time with Bruce at the Tower, just chatting with him and getting to know him. And you liked the Bruce Banner you had gotten to know. But when he got back from Singapore, it was almost like he had changed.

He avoided you. When you were coming towards him, he walked the other way. And when you talked to him, he would stumble through the conversation.

Back when you were first brought to the Tower, you and Bruce clicked. He was quiet and thoughtful, and he wanted to get to know you. But now, things just weren't the same, and you weren't sure they were ever going to be.

You spent more and more time in your quarters. But you weren't happy here at the Tower anymore. Every time you saw Bruce, your heart would break a little more. That's when you decide to return to Asgard.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Steve was asking you that afternoon. In your time at the Tower, while you spent the majority of your time with Bruce, Steve had become a really great friend of yours as well. Whenever you needed some advice, you talked to Steve. He was terrific at the advice thing.

You nod. "Being here is just hurting, Steve. I can't do it anymore. Bruce is afraid to emote and it's almost like he's afraid to feel. I can't live like this anymore. I'll still pop in to see you guys every once in a while, but I can't live here anymore."

"When you and your brother are in Asgard, Y/N, nobody can reach you," Steve points out.

"Heimdall sees everything," you tell Steve. "If you guys need me, or if Bruce says he wants me back, Heimdall will see it."

Steve nods.

You lean forward and hug him, "Thanks, Steve. You've been a good friend."

He nods again as you get ready to transport. You tell Heimdall you're ready, and that's when you go back home.

Once in the Asgardian palace, you mope around a little. Even though you and Bruce were never dating, you only wanted to be, you still felt heartbroken. You claimed your bed chambers that you'd had before you left Asgard, and barely left it.

You had been back home for a couple of weeks when your mother decided to visit you. "My love," she said, coming to sit on your bed, where you had been lying on the other side under the blankets, "are you alright?"

"He didn't want me, Mother," you say, tears leaking from your eyes. "It hurts."

"Was...was there anything there, sweetheart?" your mother asks softly. "Did he return your affections?"

You shrug. "I don't know," you admit to her. "I think he did, but if he did...he didn't want me to know about it." There are tears gathering in your eyes, but you're trying to keep them from falling -- at least until your mother had already left you.

"You're going to be alright, my love," your mother tries to soothe you. She reaches over to smooth your hair across your forehead. There's nothing but love and understanding in her eyes, but all you can feel is her pity. "I know it feels like the hurt is never going to end, but, believe me, my daughter, it will get better."

Even though you don't believe her, all you can do is nod.

She gives you a kiss on your temple and gives you a sympathetic smile as she gets up to leave your room.

You're not sure how long you've been lying in bed when Loki comes to visit you. He stands in your doorway for a while, but you know he's there.

"You know, for the god of mischief, you do a really shitty job at concealing yourself, brother," you mutter as you lie in the dark. You have no idea what the time is, just that it's the middle of the night, and the moonlight is shining on your bed. "You should really learn to be a little stealthier, if you want to make mischief."

"My mischief-making days are over, sister," Loki says to you as he crosses the room to sit on your bed beside you. He maneuvers himself so he's sitting next to you, his back flat against the headboard. His hand flies to your head, caressing your hair. "I haven't done anything like that in a very long time."

"'Tis my fault Doctor Banner left you," Loki admits. "This feeling...the feeling of guilt that Thor often talks about, I do not like the way it feels."

You turn your head to look at him, "What? Would you mind repeating that?"

"It's my fault Doctor Banner left you," he repeats. "I went to Singapore, to have a few words with him. I told him if he was to pursue a romantic relationship with you, he needed to be careful with your heart."

Your chest is tight, you feel like you want to cry, but you're trying to hold it in. You learned a long time ago not to show weakness to _anyone_ , not even your own family. "It's not your fault, Loki." You can hear the waver in your voice, and you hate it. You know Loki can hear it, too, because his fingers twitch while he's still caressing you. "He didn't want a relationship with me. I liked being around him, and I know he enjoyed my company as well, but he didn't want a romantic relationship with anyone. He was afraid that if he tried to be with anyone, the Other Guy would come out, and he couldn't risk other people by it. If anything, this is _my_ fault."

"You cannot blame yourself, my sister," Loki's voice is soft. It's a tone that you're not even sure you've ever heard in Loki's voice before. "Doctor Banner wasn't good enough for you, anyway. He didn't see what he had in front of his eyes."

You force a smile. "It's okay, brother," you say, trying to force happiness into your voice. "You don't have to try to console me. Things will get better -- you'll see."

***

Even though you had gone to Asgard and had been away for a month, Bruce had done something nobody in the Tower had ever seen him do before -- he locked himself away in the lab. Steve wasn't sure if Bruce was taking cues from Tony, but someone needed to have a talk with him before he crumbled.

"Why did you come to me, Spangles?" Tony asked as he looked up at Steve, the uninterest obvious in his features. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"He trusts you," Steve says. "He trusts you with his life, and someone needs to talk to him. I don't know if Y/N will ever come back, and he needs to understand that and find a way to move on."

"There's an easier way to do this," Tony says. He looks up at the ceiling, even though Steve's not sure what he's doing. "Heimdall," he says, and even Heimdall's name tastes weird on his tongue. "Heimdall, if you can see me, we need Y/N. Hell, we'd even take Thor right now. There has been a misunderstanding that needs to be cleared up."

Steve glares at Tony. "Now that you've done that," he states, watching him with his Captain America's I'm-disappointed-in-you glare, "what's your next step?"

"We wait to see what happens," Tony states like it's totally obvious and Steve is an idiot for not realizing it. "Give her time to get here."

Steve rolls his eyes. He honestly doesn't think this is going to work, but nobody has ever deterred Tony when his mind was made up. That's the reason he doesn't say anything to the genius.

As Steve leaves the room, Tony rolls his eyes at him. He's not sure if he wants to brave the lab, but he has his own work to be done. Sometimes he really hates the fact that he and Bruce share a workspace.

***

When Heimdall comes to get you, it's early in the morning. Loki had stayed with you all through the night, and when Heimdall comes to your chambers, he sees that Loki is asleep next to you. He clears his throat; neither you nor Loki had ever been heavy sleepers. When your eyes snap open, you look over at the doorway, where Heimdall was standing.

"'s go'ng on?" you mumble sleepily. "Heimdall, 's wrong?"

"You're needed on Midguard," he says to you. "There's a big mess down there, one that only you can straighten out."

"Doctor Banner doesn't want me, Heimdall. He's not interested in a relationship with me. I left because what's the point of me being there if he doesn't want me? It hurt me too much to reside at the same Tower that Bruce was also in."

"Please, Y/N," Heimdall says, and there's compassion in his voice. "The only way you can fix this is if you're there."

You sigh, but then decide to go. You know that you're going to hurt when you go back there, but it needs to be done, and it will be easier for you to move on once you know that there's nothing there. You gather up some clothes, some things that Tony had bought you when you first got to the Tower, and Heimdall leaves your chambers to give you privacy to change.

Glancing over at your brother, who's still sleeping soundly, you quickly change your clothes and walk with Heimdall to the Bifrost. Before you let Heimdall transport you, you go over to him. "Thanks for being such a good friend, Heimdall," you say softly. "It really means a lot to me."

He smiles at you and nods as he starts your descent.

As you stand in front of Avengers Tower, you're not sure you should even be here. You pace in front of it for at least five minutes before you look up and notice Steve in front of you.

"I'll be damned, it actually worked," Steve murmured as he looks into your eyes. "I can't believe it."

"What are you talking about, Captain?" you ask him. He can tell that something's wrong; whenever you revert to formal titles, it means you're severely upset. "Will you elaborate, please?"

He smiles at you sympathetically. "Tony called out for Heimdall and told him that you needed to come and fix a misunderstanding."

You nod. "It's been a month," you say, watching him. "How has Doctor Banner been?"

"He's been working. A lot. He's spending a lot of time in the lab."

You nod silently.

He follows you into the Tower, and, right away, you go down into the lab. You don't enter right away; you just stand in front of the big window to see what he's doing. Seeing him just makes your heart flutter; he looks emaciated, like he hasn't eaten in weeks, and he looks exhausted. You wonder if he's even slept a full night since you left.

You pull together your courage and go through the door. Bruce doesn't notice you enter, and you just stand there and watch him for a few moments, and he doesn't even realize it. Finally, you just clear your throat.

He looks up, surprise etched on his features. "Y/N," he says softly. "What are you doing here?"

"Tony asked for me to come. He said there's a misunderstanding and I need to fix it. So, Doctor Banner, let's fix it."

You take a seat in a chair as you watch him. "You shut me out, Doctor. You came back from Singapore and didn't want anything to do with me, so I left. I'm not going to stay where I'm not wanted."

"I _do_ want you, Y/N!" he exclaims as he watches you. His irises flash green but he still seems to have control on himself. "You don't understand how much!"

"Then why did you shut me out, Doctor?" your voice is soft. You know you need to ask the question, even though you really are afraid of his answer.

"Do you love me, Y/N?" he counters. "Do you want to be with me?"

You lick your lips and then nod. "Yeah, I do," you answer. "But, you have to understand, Doctor, I can understand if you don't want me. I just need to know for sure, so I can move on. I want to be with you, yeah, and I _do_ love you, but just tell me if you want me so I can move on with my life."

His gaze softens. "I shut you out because I was afraid. Loki came to see me, you know."

You nod, "He told me. He feels guilty for it, too. Thinks he's the reason you pulled away."

"I don't do so well with feelings, Y/N," he admits softly. "I fall in love with a girl and the only thing that happens is heartbreak, usually because of death. I can't risk your life like that."

"Are you afraid to try, though, Doctor?" you ask him softly. "Because, I can honestly tell you, if you're holding back because you're afraid to try, then there's no reason to even be alive. Why can't you just give me a chance?"

"Because of the Other Guy!" he yells out, slamming his fists on the table in front of him. He's not turning into the Hulk, but he's recoiling back from you. "I've been in love before! The Other Guy has always ruined it! People are out to get me, remember?"

"I'm not human, though, Bruce," you say softly, and his eyes are soft when he realizes that you didn't call him _Doctor_ again, but by his name. "I have a lot of the same powers my brothers do. Besides that, while everybody knows I'm a goddess and a princess, nobody's ever asked what I am the goddess of."

"What do you mean?" Bruce looks surprised as he asks the question.

"I'm a goddess, Bruce, remember? Thor is the god of thunder, and Loki is the god of mischief. Is it really so far-fetched to think I'm a goddess?"

He shakes his head. After gathering his composure, he looks at you and then says, "What _are_ you the goddess of, Y/N?"

"The goddess of healing," you say matter-of-factly. "It's really hard for me to get sick or hurt. In fact, I've never gotten sick or hurt in my life, and I'm almost nine hundred years old. _I_ believe in us, Bruce." You take a deep breath and know that you really need to put your heart on the line so he can see everything you're feeling. "Besides that, I want to try. Won't you try with me? Maybe a couple of dates, just to see what happens?"

He comes over to you as he pulls you into his arms. You're against his hard chest and feel more at home since before you had returned to Asgard. You tilt your head to look up at him, "Is that a yes?"

He nods. "It's a definite yes, Y/N," he admits softly, watching you closely. "I want this. You're worth it."

You smile at him, and, cupping the back of his head, you pull him down for a kiss.


End file.
